Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Belen, New Mexico · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, August 27, 2021

777 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Cattlemen's Livestock Auction report →

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 steers $212.55/cwt +4.40 vs last sale · ≈ $794/hd at 374 lb · 29 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $147.50/cwt ≈ $956/hd at 648 lb · 23 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $173.32/cwt +6.08 vs last sale · ≈ $652/hd at 376 lb · 21 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 777 490 0
Feeder cattle 447 283 0
Slaughter cattle 239 126 0
Replacement cattle 91 81 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Steer and heifer calves 5.00-7.00 higher. Feeder steer and heifers 2.00-3.00 higher. Slaughter cows 1.00-2.00 lower, bulls steady on limited receipts. Trade active demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–240 229 4 200.00–232.00 $222.99 $511 -4.01
238 fancy 238 3 237.00 $237.00 $564 —
273–295 281 6 220.00–230.00 $225.62 $634 +2.82
315 fancy 315 3 227.00 $227.00 $715 —
300–345 317 13 210.00–225.00 $219.89 $697 +3.36
355–383 367 10 200.00–211.00 $206.37 $757 -1.78
358–382 fancy 377 19 215.00–216.00 $215.80 $814 —
400–440 423 7 182.00–200.00 $190.50 $806 -12.65
460–480 467 3 178.00–191.00 $184.90 $863 +5.86
502–540 524 15 170.00–190.00 $177.31 $929 +13.23
600–622 617 4 165.00–171.00 $166.46 $1,027 +0.46
650–673 657 9 150.00–167.50 $160.26 $1,053 +7.93
740–749 748 7 154.00–160.00 $154.85 $1,158 -4.15
760–780 774 7 145.00–157.50 $153.44 $1,188 —
810 810 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,215 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–345 343 3 150.00–170.00 $156.70 $537 -12.83
380–395 388 5 168.00–185.00 $178.16 $691 +1.04
400–440 423 8 165.00–185.00 $179.69 $760 +5.65
455–485 473 8 154.00–165.00 $158.40 $749 -8.42
508–540 522 6 155.00–170.00 $159.87 $835 -7.63
571–598 581 18 150.00–165.00 $160.58 $933 +19.58
605–640 623 7 145.00–160.00 $154.71 $964 +3.03
710 710 2 130.00–139.00 $134.50 $955 -0.50
750–785 770 4 124.00–140.00 $129.14 $994 -1.82
810 810 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,004 —
865–895 878 3 124.00–139.00 $133.41 $1,171 —
970–980 975 2 108.00–118.00 $112.97 $1,101 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 2 145.00 $145.00 $392 —
350–375 363 2 135.00–143.00 $138.86 $504 +2.22
430 430 1 149.00 $149.00 $641 —
485–495 490 2 135.00–145.00 $139.95 $686 —
548 548 2 150.00 $150.00 $822 —
575–590 583 2 122.00–143.00 $132.36 $772 -1.60
615–644 638 6 122.00–139.00 $133.94 $855 -5.57
683–690 685 3 117.00–122.00 $118.68 $813 -17.31
705–735 717 3 119.00–130.00 $126.24 $905 -3.76
765 765 1 122.00 $122.00 $933 —
840 840 1 109.00 $109.00 $916 —
870 870 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,044 —
960–995 978 2 101.00–112.00 $106.40 $1,041 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
140–145 143 2 400.00–475.00 $436.84 —
170 170 1 410.00 $410.00 +10.00
Small 4 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
400 400 1 280.00 $280.00 —
560 560 1 360.00 $360.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
190 190 1 390.00 $390.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 2 180.00 $180.00 $513 +13.50
320 320 2 162.00–177.00 $169.50 $542 +3.32
363–370 fancy 364 11 175.50–180.00 $176.33 $642 —
365–395 389 10 170.00 $170.00 $661 +2.76
401–440 418 14 164.00–171.00 $168.35 $704 +1.03
460–490 473 3 169.00–175.00 $171.33 $810 —
526–542 531 10 150.00–160.00 $156.94 $833 -6.06
580 580 1 155.00 $155.00 $899 —
648 648 23 147.50 $147.50 $956 —
660–663 662 3 151.00–151.50 $151.17 $1,001 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–330 327 3 145.00–155.00 $150.00 $490 -3.94
363–388 376 4 144.00–157.00 $150.72 $567 -6.66
403–435 412 4 150.00–159.00 $152.38 $628 -1.73
476–480 477 6 153.00–157.00 $156.33 $746 +1.33
505–533 529 8 152.00–156.00 $152.98 $809 +7.58
550–595 585 8 135.00–152.00 $146.82 $859 +5.53
605–645 628 10 133.00–146.00 $138.30 $869 —
655–690 673 3 126.00–139.00 $134.44 $905 +3.22
710–740 730 3 120.00–131.00 $125.07 $913 -4.93
830 830 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,013 -1.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–325 323 2 122.00–138.00 $129.94 $420 -4.76
490 490 1 126.00 $126.00 $617 -6.97
620–625 623 2 121.00–130.00 $125.52 $782 +3.44
700–735 718 2 105.00–118.00 $111.66 $802 —
825 825 2 105.00 $105.00 $866 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
672 672 3 35.00 $35.00 $235 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
230 230 1 270.00 $270.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 137.00 $137.00 $534 —
485 485 1 136.00 $136.00 $660 -23.00
590 590 1 125.00 $125.00 $738 ±0.00
615 615 1 117.00 $117.00 $720 —
820 820 1 102.00 $102.00 $836 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 167.00 $167.00 $710 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595–1150 781 85-90% 6 31.00–46.00 $40.92 $320 +2.02
645–1060 813 85-90% 4 53.00–62.00 $55.26 $449 +9.56
730–1120 841 85-90% 7 30.00–40.00 $36.02 $303 —
805–1080 895 85-90% 13 44.00–50.00 $47.80 $428 —
805–1465 1018 85-90% 68 51.00–63.00 $57.66 $587 -8.34
830–1395 1105 85-90% 58 60.00–69.00 $64.81 $716 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–1230 1059 80-85% 5 69.00–75.00 $71.26 $755 —
825–1645 1187 80-85% 22 68.00–74.00 $71.39 $847 -1.61
1360 1360 80-85% 1 67.00 $67.00 $911 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1478 1478 75-80% 4 69.50 $69.50 $1,027 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1315 1195 2 73.00–85.50 $79.88 $955 —
1265–1835 1543 9 75.00–89.00 $83.22 $1,284 —
1425–1935 1677 9 89.00–94.00 $91.29 $1,531 -1.57

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
820 820 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
880–1180 1030 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 950.00–1,200.00 $1,075.00
1030 1030 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 985.00 $985.00
1160–1320 1240 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,000.00–1,040.00 $1,020.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
670 670 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 600.00 $600.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
790–1095 1008 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 975.00–1,300.00 $1,205.00 +217.50
1020 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00 +137.50
1020–1240 1151 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 8 1,050.00–1,290.00 $1,165.63 —
975–1360 1177 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 5 950.00–1,050.00 $1,005.00 —
1120–1240 1180 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,000.00 $1,000.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1160–1365 1245 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,300.00–1,450.00 $1,358.33 +108.33
1135–1500 1365 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 1,435.00–1,620.00 $1,524.00 —
1415–1450 1433 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,400.00–1,490.00 $1,445.00 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.